Monday, November 7, 2011

Why Not To Reserve The Pavilion at Avery's Little Corner Park

We love Avery's Little Corner Park in Woodfin so much that it was the site of Emily's birthday party for the last two years. Though we had an incident that we will never have her birthday party there again.

Last year the cost to rent the pavilion at the park was free, which I thought was a great deal since all the other parks I had called charged varying amounts. When I called to reserve the pavilion this year, I was told that there was now a charge of $25. I happily paid it since it was the best park in the area and Emily loved it.

The trouble started when we got to the park for her party because there was another party in full swing. I pointed told the other people that I had reserved the pavilion and they were shocked to hear that you had to pay to use the pavilion.

It took them over a half hour to move their party as they continued to do presents while I muttered angrily as Emily played happily. The people were rude, with my husband overhearing that the reason I was being bitchy was because I was jealous that their party had so many more people.

While hardly anyone I invited showed up for Emily's party, I was more angry that I had paid $25 for a pavilion that I didn't get to use for 1/4 of the time that I had paid for. I tried to make the best of it and we had a decent party.

I was still irked, so I called up the Town of Woodfin office the Monday after the party. I was asking for at least a partial refund and it to be better marked that the pavilion was reserved. The woman I talked to was rude from the beginning, telling me that my name had bee on the pavilion showing I had reserved it. It must have been in a very small space since I didn't see it, and when I asked my best friend, she said she hadn't see it either.

And when I brought up a refund, she was even ruder to me saying I would have to come to a town meeting to ask for one. And those were in the evenings, which is impossible for me to attend because my husband works 2nd shift. She ended up hanging up on me, which is the height of bad customer service.

So I emailed the Town Administrator, Jason Young, to complain about the entire situation but especially because I had been so rudely treated by the lady on the phone. I've been waiting to write this blog post because I wanted to give him time to get back to me, but he never did.

I will not be having Emily's birthday party at the best park in the Asheville area again because of the way I was treated. I didn't really expect a refund, but I also didn't expect to be treated so rudely. This is why I would discourage anyone from paying the pavilion fee because there is no guarantee that you will get to use that space you have paid for.

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3 comments:

  1. 1. The party that was in swing when you got there was probably responsible for hiding or taking down your reserved notice.

    2. What is up with poor customer service lately. In this job economy, employers can afford to be choosy, so why do I hear more and more instances of horrible treatment. Even if they couldn't do anything to help you besides apologize, why the rudeness. You were hung up on by a customer service representative? Yikes.

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  2. I've worked customer service so I try to keep a level head even when I'm pissed off. That lady was hostile from the beginning for no good reason.

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